Audent Global Asset Management LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Walmart Inc. $WMT

Audent Global Asset Management LLC decreased its position in Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) by 98.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,758 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 717,223 shares during the quarter. Walmart makes up 1.1% of Audent Global Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Audent Global Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Walmart were worth $1,091,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Walmart in the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Walmart in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP purchased a new stake in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Walmart by 57.4% during the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 288 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC grew its position in Walmart by 193.0% during the fourth quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 293 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 193 shares during the period. 26.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Walmart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Walmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: June U.S. retail sales held up, suggesting consumers are still spending as Walmart heads into the back-to-school season; that could support traffic and sales volumes if the company remains aggressive on pricing. Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School
• Neutral Sentiment: Walmart is also being discussed in multiple market and analyst roundups, with commentary focusing on its strong digital growth and role as a defensive stock, but these pieces do not appear to include a major new business update. Walmart Commands a 36.74X Forward P/E: Is the Stock Worth Buying?
• Neutral Sentiment: An article about AI and retail highlighted that Walmart is investing in automation while still emphasizing workers, which reinforces its long-term strategy but is unlikely to move the stock on its own. Walmart’s people chief says these 10 jobs are still hot in the age of AI
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts argue Walmart’s premium valuation leaves limited room for disappointment, with one note saying momentum alone may not justify the stock’s high forward P/E. Walmart’s Momentum Cannot Justify The Premium
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart has also been the subject of bearish commentary saying the recent sell-off may not be over, adding to investor caution around the shares. Walmart: The Sell-Off Isn’t Over Yet (Rating Upgrade)

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on WMT shares. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, June 8th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Monday, April 20th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Walmart from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Walmart currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $138.85.

Walmart Price Performance

WMT stock opened at $114.24 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $118.82 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $909.13 billion, a PE ratio of 40.08, a P/E/G ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $94.43 and a one year high of $135.15.

Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The retailer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.66. The company had revenue of $177.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $174.84 billion. Walmart had a return on equity of 21.25% and a net margin of 3.13%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.61 EPS. Walmart has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.750-2.850 EPS and its Q2 2027 guidance at 0.720-0.740 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 2.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Latriece Watkins sold 11,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.97, for a total value of $1,308,670.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 120,203 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,300,550.91. This trade represents a 8.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Daniel J. Bartlett sold 3,775 shares of Walmart stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $109.64, for a total transaction of $413,891.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 630,009 shares in the company, valued at approximately $69,074,186.76. The trade was a 0.60% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 87,145 shares of company stock worth $10,691,920. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Walmart

Walmart is a multinational retail corporation that operates a broad portfolio of store formats and digital services. Its core business includes large-format supercenters, discount department stores, neighborhood grocery stores and a membership warehouse chain, Sam’s Club. The company’s merchandising mix covers groceries, household goods, apparel, electronics and pharmacy services, supplemented by private-label products and category-specific offerings. Walmart pairs its physical store network with online platforms and mobile applications to provide omnichannel shopping, fulfillment and delivery options for consumers and businesses.

The company was founded by Sam Walton, who opened the first store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962; it is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.